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Anyone use an iphone for GPS??

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Anyone use an iphone for GPS??

Old 05-19-10, 06:04 PM
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Anyone use an iphone for GPS??

I'm going to be getting an iphone pretty soon and was wondering who uses one for GPS? Also...how do you keep it mounted and does your battery drain fast? I know with my ipod touch the battery dies REALLY fast if I keep the screen on
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Old 05-19-10, 07:30 PM
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I use EveryTrail.com (the free iPhone version) for tracking my rides. (Here's the appstore preview link: EveryTrail.com)
I haven't mounted it, but that's something I plan on doing soon. Right now, it sits in my seatbag during my commutes/rides.

Also look at MapMyRide.com.
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Old 05-19-10, 07:43 PM
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GPS eats up the battery on the iPhone. I used Motion X once or twice as a novelty and went back to nothing...

There are mounts out there, but none that I would risk hanging a $300 dollar phone on for an extended period of time. I used this one: https://bicio.com/GoRide_iphoneBikeMount.php. First one broke first ride out. Got my money back and they sent me a new one with a beefier "T".
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Old 05-19-10, 08:53 PM
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I don't see why mounting a $300 phone is any different than guys mounting a $300 GPS unit

I was just curious if anyone had done it...maybe instead of getting an iphone I should invest in one of the garmin units that I saw a ton of threads on
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Old 05-20-10, 01:57 AM
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I've written an iPhone app called TrackMyTour with longer rides in mind. It's not a real-time tracker, so markers are only added at discrete points. On the other hand, battery consumption is far less of an issue. Here's a sample map to give you an idea of what it's about.
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Old 05-20-10, 08:09 PM
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Have an iPhone mounted using a Ram Mount https://www.ram-mount.com/. They make several combinations depending on the type of case you use. MotionX works excellent. Have use it for a year and never go done the raid without it. You do have to turn the screen off as it runs in the background. Other wise it would indeed drain the battery. The nice thing about MotionX is that it does all types of sports when you are not on the bike. Recent updates for the app make is a bargain at $2.99. Of course first you need the iPhone
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Old 05-20-10, 11:58 PM
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Also just started using MotionX for the iPhone - I like the info it gives, and I actually use an armband, rather than the bike mount with the screen off...also lets you listen to music while riding.
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Old 05-21-10, 05:44 AM
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Armband - great idea!
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Old 05-21-10, 07:19 AM
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How long will the battery last?
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Old 05-21-10, 07:19 AM
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I also use the ram-mount. No issues with the phone falling off. Ascent mobile is good, so is Motion-X, but get an external battery pack if you're doing long rides.
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Old 05-21-10, 08:12 PM
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Hahaha...shoot...considering my rides are 30-45 mins right now, and that's pushing my limit, it lasts the whole time! Today, I rode for 36 mins, battery started at approx 88%, was at 75% when I was done - so, figure 13% for 30 mins, a little under 4 hours. AND - I was listening to the iPod at the same time...so - it's not horrible, considering the size.

Originally Posted by v70cat
How long will the battery last?
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Old 05-22-10, 09:19 PM
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I use MotionX-GPS for the iPhone religiously. Once I set it, I put it away in my Camelbak. It has lasted me a couple of hours. I have a whole catalog of my rides that I keep downloaded on my laptop from MotionX-GPS. I love that program!
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Old 05-24-10, 10:16 PM
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i am looking for something that will mount my nexus one.

it's nice to have the google bicycle layers and directions on my android phone.

android > iphone for bikers.
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Old 05-24-10, 10:50 PM
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i use an app called B.iCycle and really like it. It includes a GPS spedometer, odometer, and calorie estimator. It emails you a file of your trip once you are done. You can adjust your interval timing (default is 4 seconds) to save your battery.

Too bad it does not account for headwind, but that is another story.

I am also going to check out something called Run Keeper which has a Cycling app in it as well.

The ram mount is definately the way to go.
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Old 05-24-10, 11:11 PM
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+1 for MotionX and the RAM Mount. I've tried the Bicio and didn't trust it too much. The Dahon mount is a waste of $50. It looks like it should be really good, but the construction is not high quality.
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Old 05-25-10, 08:00 AM
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Battery issues exist.
Remote power source needed. Battery or generator.
If not for that, it would be great.
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Old 05-25-10, 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by timstone
I don't see why mounting a $300 phone is any different than guys mounting a $300 GPS unit
I mounted my GPS wrong once; there are two sliders that hold it to the handlebars, but I only attached one. About 10 or 15 miles into my ride, the GPS fell out, and bounced off the pavement. There's a dent in the casing, but it still works flawlessly. The thing is ruggadized! It's also waterproof, so I use it on my bike when it's raining ... and also in my kayak. Clip it to the hull, paddle for a couple hours, capsize and go for a swim, climb back in the boat, and head home. That's why mounting a $300 phone is different from mounting a GPS unit.

Although if you don't actually need to interact with the thing ( ie if just having a record of your wheres and whens is all you're after ), a Pelican case might be worth looking into.

Originally Posted by timstone
I was just curious if anyone had done it...maybe instead of getting an iphone I should invest in one of the garmin units that I saw a ton of threads on
My Garmin won't make phone calls, though, and while I have a cell phone, it's a very dumb one. Something like an iPhone would be incredibly convenient for a number of reasons ... so, if you already have one and don't have a GPS yet, or if cycling in the rain with it isn't something you plan on doing very often, then a Garmin probably isn't the answer.
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Old 05-25-10, 12:38 PM
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If you want to use it as a real GPS, that is: interacting with it and keeping the screen on, it may last a couple of hours at best. Get a real GPS for biking. This subject has been beaten to death: smartphones don't work well as GPS units for anything other than occasional, casual use: not weatherproof, short battery life, delicate, less accurate.

Yeah, my Garmin took so much abuse and it still works that I would have gone through several iPhones by now.
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